


A Fairy Tale Love Story

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Female Character, F/F, Family Fluff, Female Protagonist, Female Relationships, POV Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-13
Updated: 2014-12-13
Packaged: 2018-03-01 06:01:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2762324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina does her best to distract Henry while waiting for Emma to come back to them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Fairy Tale Love Story

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Austeniana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Austeniana/gifts).



> Date Written: 11-12 December 2014  
> Word Count: 1386  
> Written for: [](http://ouat-ff-xchange.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://ouat-ff-xchange.livejournal.com/)**ouat_ff_xchange** 2014 mod gift  
>  Recipient: Austeniana  
> Summary: Regina does her best to distract Henry while waiting for Emma to come back to them.  
> Spoilers: Canon divergent AU that takes places when Henry's 16 years old. At this point, just consider everything in canon as both possible and ignored.  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply…  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: <http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/>  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: This most assuredly did not end up anywhere near where I was expecting it to. Then again, when I started writing it, I had absolutely no idea where it was going to go, so I suppose it's not a surprise that I didn't expect the ending. That said, I'd read somewhere once that the older you get, the rougher a tonsillectomy is for a person. Clearly this is the mindset I used here, so if it's wrong, I apologize.
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as usual…
> 
> Beta: [](http://shatterpath.dreamwidth.org/profile)[](http://shatterpath.dreamwidth.org/)**shatterpath** , but all remaining errors are entirely chalked up to my stubbornness.

"Tell me a story?"

The hoarsely whispered request has me frowning in curiosity. "Aren't you a little old for that, dear?"

"Don' care." He slurs his words, gripping my hand tightly. "Scared, Mommy…"

My heart clenches tightly in my chest, as it has every time he's ever uttered those words. My free hand shifts to brush back the hair from his face. "There's nothing to be afraid of, my sweet boy. You're merely having your tonsils removed."

He shakes his head. "Can't you do it with magic?"

"That's not how magic works, Henry. This is a simple procedure, and you're young and healthy otherwise. The drugs will kick in, you'll fall asleep, and when you wake up, no more tonsils. You'll be fine, my handsome prince."

He shakes his head and moves to curl into my side, murmuring, "Tell me a story. Please?"

Who am I to deny him anything?

"Once upon a time," I begin, and shift to stretch out on the hospital bed next to him, holding him close as I did when he was so much younger. Kissing the top of his head, I know exactly the story to tell him. "Once upon a time there lived a beautiful, but lonely queen. She spent years with her loneliness and her anger, taking it out on the people who were able to find and keep the love that constantly eluded her."

"So stupid," he mutters, head settling over my heart.

"Shh," I reply, stroking his back. "You just rest and let me tell the story." When he nods, I continue. "For years, she did everything she could to punish those around her by trying to take away their happiness, but it never made her feel better like she thought it would. She always felt like something was missing--"

I pause as the door opens. Expecting to see one of the nurses coming in to check on Henry, I smile brightly at the sight of my love standing there, covered in melting snow. She returns the smile, then quirks an eyebrow in Henry's direction. Before I can answer, our son shifts against my side.

"Ma!"

The enthusiasm in his voice brings on a coughing jag. Without thought, I rub his back and wish once again that my magic could do something to help him. Emma makes her way to our side, the tiniest snap of her fingers removing the snow as she takes off her jacket.

"Hey, kid," she says, leaning over to press a kiss to his temple once his coughing subsides. "I told you I'd come back before your surgery, and I always keep my word."

He reaches back to grab for her hand. "Scared, Ma."

Emma smoothes her hand over his hair and gingerly settles on the edge of the bed. "No need to be scared, Henry. Your mom and I are right here. We'll stay with you until they wheel you off to the OR, then we'll still sit here and wait until they bring you back. And when you wake up, we'll be right here to feed you that ice cream you've been coveting ever since Dr. Whale told you about it."

"Promise?"

"On my honor as the Savior." Her bright smile does wonders as Henry relaxes against me again. "So what were you two talking about when I came in?"

"I was telling Henry a story to help him fall asleep."

Pulling up a chair close to the bed, Emma sits down and smiles at me. "Well, go ahead, Regina, finish your story. We can't disappoint our son, can we?"

"Of course not," I reply, rolling my eyes. "Where was I? Oh yes. The beautiful but lonely queen always felt like something was missing, but she never knew what it was that she was lacking. Until one day when she awoke from a dream that she couldn't shake. The queen spent the next few years searching for what she needed to feel fulfilled until she finally found her little prince. He filled her days with happiness and her heart with love for many years."

"Wha 'bout knight?"

"I was getting there," I say, combing my fingers through his hair. "So impatient to get to the good parts of the story, aren't you?" He sleepily smiles up at me. "You're so like your other mother in that respect."

"Hey! I'm just an innocent bystander here."

"Story!"

"Yes, the story. One day, while riding their horses through the forest, the queen and her prince were separated. The queen was terrified that she'd lost the best part of her life. She had the entire kingdom out to search high and low for her prince, but no one could find him. When she thought all hope was lost, her prince appeared with a white knight. The knight brought the prince home to the queen, safe and sound."

"I like this part of the story," Emma whispers, then chuckles when I glare at her.

"At first, the queen feared the white knight would steal the prince from her. She fought the knight at every turn, but the prince knew better and kept finding ways for them to interact. Sooner than either of them realized, the queen and the knight fell in love. Oh, they fought it at first, but both realized that they were happier together than apart. They married in a lovely ceremony with their son at their side and ruled the kingdom with fairness and love in their hearts. And they lived happily ever after, the end."

A soft snore is Henry's only reply. Leaning over, I press a gentle kiss to his forehead and begin the procedure of easing out from under his weight. It takes a moment or two, and I begin to hum softly as I do, but I finally slip off the bed and adjust the covers over my sleeping son again.

"I still have no idea how you do that, Regina."

Smiling, I move to settle in her lap, resting my head against her shoulder wearily. "Years of practice. Until he was in kindergarten, he rarely slept in his own bed. When he did, he needed me to cradle him close until he fell asleep." A sigh escapes my lips as I turn to study his profile, all of my earlier bravado fading. "Emma, are you _sure_ he's going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine, babe. Trust me on this, okay? I had the procedure done when I was fourteen. It's for the best that he do this now. It just gets harder as you get older."

I gently stroke her hand where she still holds Henry's in a loose grip. I see so much of Emma in his face, but I see his grandfather more as he grows older. He may have Neal's darker hair, but Henry is looking more and more like David every day.

"Hey," she says softly, tugging me back from thoughts of Henry's parentage, and smiles when I lean back to cuddle into her. "I promise it's gonna be okay. And I never break my promise, remember?"

"I remember."

"Good." She glances at her watch. "You've been sitting up with Henry all day long. Get some rest now. I'm here and I'll keep watch over both of you."

"No," I murmur, feeling the exhaustion creeping in. "Henry needs me."

"Henry needs you to take care of yourself. It's okay. The meds have clearly kicked in already. They'll be here any time now to take him down to do the surgery. We'll stay here until he comes back, just like we promised. And if you're sleeping while he's in surgery, that's totally okay. I don't think he'll mind at all."

Sighing, I lean into her familiar warmth and let my eyes drift shut. "Promise you'll wake me if he needs me?"

"I promise."

"And you'll wake me when they bring him back?"

"Of course, I will," she says with a chuckle, then kisses me briefly. "Now close your eyes and just try to relax, Regina. Your beloved white knight is here to protect my queen and our prince. No one and nothing will keep me from that most precious of duties. You're both safe."

Her slightly off-tune humming and her muffled heartbeat are the last sounds I hear as sleep overcomes me.


End file.
